Sharing Space
by Dust Particle
Summary: Severus Snape has had it with Longbottom and wants him out of his Potions Class. But what do you expect? When your prayers have been answered, there’s always a catch. SSRL
1. Fair exchange?

**SHARING SPACE**

Severus Snape has had it with Longbottom and wants him out of his Potions Class. But what do you expect? When your prayers have been answered, there's always a catch. SSRL

Disclaimer: JKRS. Boo Hoo.

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**CHAPTER 1: Fair Exchange?**

"Look on the bright side Severus… a couple more years to go and Mr Longbottom will be out of your hair," the cheerful old wizard replied, blue eyes twinkling.

"Correction!" Snape snapped as he slammed his fists on the table and continued to seethe. "_Three _more years, not a_ couple_ but three!" he said, gesturing the number with his fingers for further emphasis.

"I'm not illiterate Severus," the man said calmly, still grinning.

"No you're a patronizing old coot and I hate you," he said crossing his arms and narrowing his eyes down to look at the headmaster. "Last week I've had to repair a total of _six _cauldrons, all of which _he _obviously used, the following day an entire room of fourth years nearly _died _because of him, not that I would have complained, but_ I_ was in there too! And today he spilt his atomic bomb of a potion, and obliterated my desk to pieces!"

"Yes, yes, and let us not forget, two days ago he turned your hair green."

That was exactly the reason Snape didn't mention that. He couldn't begin to imagine that horrific event going down in Hogwarts a History as one of the most significant moments that ever happened behind the castle walls but by the looks of it, it would eventually. Snape looked livid, and his fists were fighting the urge to punch Albus Dumbledore's annoyingly jolly face.

"The point is… I. Want. Him." _Dead, _was his initial thought. "Gone. Out. I will not have him in my class!"

Dumbledore sighed, the irritating grin never leaving his face; adjusted his half moon spectacles on his crooked nose and said, "Severus, my dear boy… don't you think you're being… a bit-"

"A bit what?" Snape barked.

A new voice spoke from behind the pair, "a bit of a dick." Albus popped reached over his lolly jar, took a sherbet and popped it in his mouth; Snape turned his head towards the door way where a tall man with light brown hair and a matching moustache stood smirking at his ex colleague's ghostly pale face.

"Come in, come in Remus," Dumbledore said clicking his fingers to summon a chair for him.

"Oh well look who it is… weren't you _fired_?" Snape sneered, looking Remus, who kindly smiled in return, up and down from his tattered suit and robes to his equally tattered briefcase.

"Resigned actually. You've got a chip on you're shoulder," Remus said and before Snape could say something like 'fuck you' for the childish idiom, he realised there was an actual chip of wood on his shoulder. He brushed it off quickly.

"Mr Longbottom managed to outdo himself again in potions class this afternoon," Dumbledore answered as Remus sat down.

"Figures… I thought I saw him in the infirmary," he mused.

"So… what's _he _doing here?" Snape who was not going to sit back down now that Remus' chair was next to his, asked Albus.

"Believe it or not Severus, Mr Longbottom, like yourself, has already approached me recently after a particular incident two days ago," Remus couldn't contain himself and his smirk turned to a chuckle then a series of coughs.

Snape sneered and said, "You told him didn't you?"

"No I did not," Dumbledore answered calmly.

"Let's just say I have my sources," Remus piped up, then burst out laughing. "I also heard it suited you."

_Potter. _Snape thought. "Yes have a laugh,_ while _you can, will you." Then he turned to Albus again. "So the bloody idiot sued me did he?"

"No, no no. See, Mr Longbottom… he is a very clever boy, though I seem to think, and so does he, that he is unable to carry out his expertise and perform to the best of his abilities in potions particulary… due to… well simply because.... let's just say… of fear… restricting him. So I've arranged… special provisions for Mr Longbottom."

"Of _fear_…" Snape scoffed. "I'm quite aware Mr Longbottom's boggart took the form of myself last year."

"That look suited you as well," Remus laughed remembering the boggart identical to the surly black haired man clad in a green dress, a vulture hat and clutching a carpet bag.

"What was that? Have _you _looked at yourself lately? Homeless beggar…" Snape retorted which triggered an argument for a while and Dumbledore leaned back and watched in amusement like it was a theatrical musical unfolding before him.

"… Werewolf!"

"Is that all? 'Casue I've got a bloody long list right here for you-"

"… thought I got rid of you but you_ keep_ coming back!"

"- in _alphabetical order_!"

They pointed and jabbed and Dumbledore grinned and chewed until both men had reached into their robes.

"Enough!" Dumbledore bellowed, standing up. "There will be none of that nonsense in here. Nor is there to be anywhere else of a kilometre radius _from_ here. And during your stay Remus, _both_ of you young men, will act your age when in presence with the other. Understood?"

"_What?" _Snape said and his lips trembled. "He's _staying_?"

"Correct. Professor Lupin has agreed to be Mr Longbottom's potions tutor, at least for the rest of the year."

"Are you _kidding _me?! He's not even qualified!" Snape shouted.

"Indeed. In fact I'm over qualified Severus. Maybe not as much as you but I am," Remus said smugly. "Albus, if I have your permission to go into my rooms now."

"And where pray tell will _he_ be staying?"

"Next to your rooms Severus!" Dumbledore, ever the cheerful again, smiled widely.

"Don't think I'm happy about it either," Remus said, standing up, briefcase in one arm and moving towards the door.

"_WHAT_?! What?!" he turned to Albus exasperatedly. "No, no, no, no, no. Can't he… can't he bunk in with Minerva or Filch in the broom closet or something? Why next to _my_ rooms?"

"It's all for convenience my boy."

"You call this…" he gestured between himself and the door to where Remus had exited. "_Convenient_?"

"Correct. It'll be closer to the labs in which you'll have to share from now on. Mr Longbottom's classes will run just before dinner when they're free."

"This is all his fault…" Snape muttered, pacing around Dumbledore's office as portraits pretended to be sleeping in their confined frames. "Longbottom… the stupid… blundering… idiot…"

"My dear boy, I must confess you are difficult sometimes. Mr Longbottom will be reduced to the least of your worries, he won't be the cause of destruction in your classes anymore. Is not that what you want?"

"Yes and no." _It's what every potion master wants. But you just had to choose the werewolf. Why the werewolf? _Snape thought wanting to rip his hair out but tightened his jaw and ground his teeth instead.

"Ah, time Severus time…" he said tapping at his wrist. "I have things to do, people to see. Be off dear child!"

Snape nodded towards the bearded man, pausing when he reached the door.

"Send my regards to those people, I do feel very sorry for them to have to put up with you."

"Yes, yes. Will do," Dumbledore chuckled. "I'll see you at dinner."

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Thanks for reading.


	2. Hating yesterday, loathing today

**Oh my Jupiter! I updated! I surprise even myself. **

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**Chapter 2: Hating Yesterday, Loathing Today**

"Barbaric… absolutely barbaric…" Snape muttered, storming out of the office to return to his dungeons deciding on whether to use his wand or use physical strength to kill Lupin, when he heard muffling sounds behind a tapestry. He blasted it open and in the alcove found two male students immediately detaching their faces from each other's. Snape cringed.

"Fifty points off Hufflepuff for disgusting public display!"

"We're in Ravenclaw…"

"Fifty points to Hufflepuff and seventy points off Ravenclaw for disgusting public display. The extra is for the cheek… Now get a move on!" He barked watching them stumble away as far as possible from him.

'_Lupin… _damn that insufferable man,' he muttered with his strides, huffing and growling like a very dangerous dog about to grow two extra heads; many students noticing his foul mood from meters away cautiously stepped back in advance.

"He's like a flea…." Snape continued grumbling to himself as he hurried down the stone steps and crashed into something solid. Remus looked up in surprise and the moody man sneered down at him.

"It's not been half an hour and you're already getting in my way."

"I was just going to the dinner, you coming?" Lupin asked as if their argument mere moments ago never happened.

"Not tonight, no."

"Well then would you like me to get something for you?"

"No, I would not like to get poisoned," Snape said disdainfully before marching off.

"That's my room Severus," Lupin pointed out behind him fighting back a laugh. The other man slowly inclined a fraction of his head, and Lupin saw his hand white with strain, flex momentarily before he barged through the other identical door that led to his own quarters, slamming it closed behind him.

Remus Lupin smirked all the way to dinner.

...

Snape retired to the living room, watching the furnace fire, blazing orange and yellow and sparking like tiny fireflies. Two thirds of his sixth year class failed last lesson's written exam that he had been marking, or to accurately put it, slashing red angry marks, while everyone else went to dinner; his stomach sprouting a hand that was waving furiously for his attention. At the thought of every pie his mind could list, a door clicked. Turning around there was Lupin, the inescapable flea; Severus liked to call him, standing at the doorway.

"How in the _blazes _did you get in here?"

"Through… the door?" Remus said tentatively as if Snape had just asked him a trick question. Which it was most definitely not.

Snape sneered and glanced around and found there were three doors; one to his office, one to his rooms and… _why was there another one? Oh no…_

"I hope you don't mind. Albus thought seeing as I would be residing here, we could share the living room," said Lupin.

"Does _anyone…_ _value_ the preciousness of my solitary life?" Snape said to himself, looking up to the ceiling, beyond the grey stones into the damned Heavens. He stood up to leave.

"Look, I wanted to apologize… we didn't start of the way I had hoped…" Remus said stopping him.

"And what were you _hoping?_" Snape scoffed, turning to face the other man. "That we skipped across a green field of flowers and leaped into each other's arms?"

Lupin chuckled; visualizing a man clad in black frolicking in a colorful meadow, and burst out laughing when he couldn't contain himself any longer; Snape appeared shock at the outburst.

"I've to admit I envisioned something a little less creative than that."

Snape only sneered at him with an impatient stare and his eyes widened when Remus took a step closer.

"I wanted to talk to you about the schedule," he started.

"I thought Dumbledore made it clear, 'your lessons will run just before dinner when they're free' hence you stay out of my way and I'll stay out of yours," Snape said curtly; Lupin's eyelid twitched, taken aback. "What part don't you understand?"

Lupin gulped and forced a calm response; "I think you've made it perfectly clear." He even smiled. Not genuinely for his eyes stayed unwrinkled when Snape marched away, much like an aggravated man who was going back to bed after having woken up in the middle of the night by the lonely howls of the neighbor's dog.

...

"The Joberknoll, can you tell me anything about it?"

Neville's blue round eyes looked up, out the window, down to his feet then back up to his tutor; Lupin stalking the shelves in calm and observational manner.

"Is it a bird?" he answered or rather just asked another question; his two front teeth stuck out.

"Anything else?" Lupin said retrieving a jar or two, scanning their labels and deciding on which he'd be needing.

"It's… blue?" Neville replied and was granted with Lupin turning around to face him with an affable grin.

"The Joberknoll, Neville, is indeed a blue bird… very quiet, doesn't peep a word until- and you'll know - its last few moments. It lets out a long piercing scream consisting of every sound it ever heard backwards," he said as his student began scribbling this information on a piece of parchment. "Now can you tell me anything about the Bombyx Mori?" he asked placing three jars in front of Neville whose bottom lip was already quivering.

"… I-I don't know sir," he answered, but what concerned Lupin more was why Neville seemed scared of him.

"Are you alright Neville? It's okay if you don't know the answer."

"I know, sorry sir, I just... I'm scared," he paused and his eyes darted around neurotically. In a lower uneasy voice he continued, "I'm just… scared professor Snape… might be..." Lupin had to lean in closer to him, "…eavesdropping. It's just that I'm always getting visions of him barging in when I don't know the answer… and then he'd scream at me and tell me If I've ever listened to a word he's said in class and that I'm the stupidest stupid person he's ever met... which I probably am."

"Oh Neville," Lupin sighed somewhat amused. "The truth is; he's still moping about a particular 'Boggart lesson'… so I wouldn't worry about it too much. You won't be seeing him a lot while I'm around anyway, which I supposed we should… all be thankful for…" Neville giggled quietly and Lupin smiled if not, sadly. "And don't worry, I'm not him. I'm not going to bite your head off. No, not with bare rhetoric at least." But Neville, being Neville, as he was, didn't get the joke.

"So, where were we? Ah yes; the Bombyx Mori?"

"Well…" Neville peered in the three jars all with dusty lids, "I'm guessing that um… used to be a bird… so those are the Jobberknoll feathers… I know what that is, that's Sopohorous isn't it?" Lupin nodded. "Is that it then?" he pointed to the last jar containing what looked like bits and pieces of white carcass.

"Those are the cocoons weaved by the Bombyx Mori, also known as the mulberry silkworm; using scientific terminology in potions is always preferable though. The larvae these cocoons are made from provide silk protein which improves a person's concentration, cognition and mental function. So, as you said, Sopohorous, conceivably a plant, what do you know of it?"

"The juice from sopohorous beans is used in sleeping potions like Draught of Living Death… sir what exactly are we making?"

"Very good Neville. Today we are concocting a memory potion. And the question you're going to answer for me is; why these ingredients?" Lupin stared at him earnestly waiting for Neville to start.

"Joberknoll… well wouldn't that make sense? If it remembers all the sounds it ever heard? The feathers would be to… recollect memories… like how the bird gathers all the sounds… and then it um screams it back out… so like our memories would be… well it would surface wouldn't it?" Lupin nodded, egging Neville to go on. Neville, cleared his throat. "And the Bombyx Mori… the silk protein derived from the larvae would, you said, improve a person's concentration and stuff… so I'd say that would be useful for the memory recollection process. And the Sopophorus?... It um… the Sopo…uh…"

"Go on, you're on the right track."

"Well… because we use it for sleeping potions… and isn't it said when we sleep our memories are solidified and stored? Which would mean… the juice from the bean would enhance our memories and… put them back where they belong?" he finished lamely. Lupin smiled.

"Couldn't have put it better myself! Let's get on to it then shall we?" He retrieved a chopping board, a box of utensils, a cauldron and other equipment Neville still had yet to add to his vocabulary. He was still glowing bright pink from the overwhelming feeling of having to have answered, for once in his life, a potions question correctly without so much as a sore ear and a pair of damp underpants.

"This is good," the young boy said. "I mean, I'm so forgetful. My Nan even bought me a Remembrall in first year; only, I don't remember where I put it."

Lupin laughed and patted him on the back "Well, let's hope you will after this lesson."

…

Snape had to come down to dinner that night. He was not in the mood to sit at the same table as Lupin, let alone sit next to the werewolf. He had no choice in the matter either. And he did not love Dumbledore today and the day before, and he predicted; definitely not tomorrow.

He kept his plate full, he kept his mouth full, to avoid engaging in useless conversation. This, he assessed, was a flawed idea, seeing as he still had ears.

"… And when fall arrives, their skin sheds, layers start to peel away until it's all just inner flesh and sinews… it's amazing." Remus said to the half-giant next to him, completely engrossed and nodding, "so anyway, the skin, which is just this pile of deflated carcass, instead of just leaving it to rot there, the Manus Anura… eats it." Snape felt the potato on his shepherd's pie, scald his throat after he took a hurried mouthful, that was setting his tongue, and as it traveled down to his stomach, aflame.

"I gotta get me one of 'em. Funny, I haven't seen 'em in our forest, and I know ev'ry bit o'that forest, like the palm of me hand," Hagrid wondered. Lupin shook his head, placing the wine glass down and continuing to slice the medium rare lamb chop on his plate.

"No, we're talking rainforest; damp and wet, relatively low sunlight, away from civilization, majorly found in the southern hemisphere though."

They ate and sat in silence afterwards, until Lupin inclined towards Snape in a low voice, "you're awfully quiet today," he said to Snape, who paused and said "So?" then continued eating.

"I feel like I'm neglecting you from conversation," the other man said.

"Unlike you, I don't fancy discussing the membrane removal and ingestion of human-amphibians while I eat," Snape replied; his teeth scraped the fork clean and Lupin thought he heard nails down a chalkboard.

"I didn't know you were listening," Lupin said.

"It's kind of hard not to when you're sitting next to said person discussing said subject."

Lupin grinned at Snape, almost wolfishly, and Snape had to stare emotionless, expressionless and unimpressed. "You grossed out?"

"Vastly annoyed," he drawled, letting loathing imprint every syllable.

Before Lupin could answer, Hagrid shook the table; he restrained his burp and like a hiccup, his belly hit the edge and all eyes turned to him.

"Sorry 'bout that!" he apologized and half the staff laughed and returned to their own matters. "Ah," the half giant gave out a hearty sigh, rubbing the oversized curve of his belly, "sure am glad to have yer back 'fesser Lupin."

Lupin took that compliment to his heart. The small yet genuine remark made him genuinely happy; a momentary trip over the moon. At least for a moment, till he realized he was short of being wholly satisfied. It was just one person that didn't want him back, and Lupin, who was so used to being liked, didn't like this at all. He knew it wasn't his fault, though maybe he was asking too much. Maybe he was trying too much.

"Thanks Hagrid."

"Say, how is Mister Longbottom?" He asked.

"Doing extremely well. He's a very smart kid," Lupin looked over at the Gryffindor table, where Neville was, unknown to him that Snape was doing the same, though not in the same proud manner, for Lupin was sure that he heard the insufferable man snort.

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**Okay, silk protein and all that shit... well, I had no idea what I was talking about; I'm sure that was obvious. **

**The point is... I'm so sorry for neglecting this story. Not very commited am I?** (omg i am on edit mode - and i discovered the (use Shift + Enter for single line breaks) hint! at the bottom of the box thing. omg  
hello  
yay  
pressing enter  
and holding shift  
this is amazing

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	3. Neville this, Neville that

**I'm alive. I have decided to post a chapter because I am so cruel. **

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"Here," Lupin offered, setting the silver dagger flat and pushing down on the fat slimy leech. "Gets more juice out of it."

"Now you try," Lupin said, handing the boy the dangerous tool into his hazardous hands. He could hear Snape saying, "you have just condemned us all to death Lupin." He smiled grimly and returned to his student. "Gently Neville, you don't want it squirting everywhere."

"From what I can remember, Longbottom loves to clean," interrupted a voice from behind. Neville immediately tensed, turned white and wide eyed upon seeing his ex potions professor. It was the first time his 'boggart' had set eyes on him after he had, what Snape calls – 'sued' him. And set eyes on him he did. Behind the lazy expression, Neville knew that the iris burned with the blackest of grudges. Sweet Jesus he was going to die a virgin.

"So nice you could join us Professor Snape," Lupin said kindly.

"It is my_ greatest_ displeasure," replied Snape civilly setting his subtle glare elsewhere, scanning the room suspiciously for damages. "_Minerva_, thought I should notify you that it is fifteen to seven..."

Lupin glanced at his watch and surprised he said, "Oh! I'm sorry Neville… seems like I've taken much of your dinner. We'll finish this next time, you're dismissed."

Going through one ear and out the other, Neville just stared at him blankly.

"You can go now Neville," Lupin said to the boy who was presently suffering Snape's undying glare.

"Oh… right… okay," he said as he receded back to earth before he said in a nervous rush "Well bye 'fesser Lupin," and basically darted towards the exit, stumbling as he did so. Snape and Lupin stared after him, and as much as Lupin tried to refrain from expressing such amusement he couldn't help but share a smirk with Snape.

"Neville seems to suffer from… what's it called… Chiroptophobia," Lupin dared, hoping he had pronounced it right in front of the highly literate professor.

Snape inclined an eyebrow, smirked and retorted "oh that's real fresh Lupin... real fresh…" He crossed his arms and leisurely leaned against a table. Lupin's stomach started to slightly ache, so he decided to begin packing the apparatus and the rest of the equipment away. He noticed Snape's scrutinizing eyes were watching every move he made inspiring a creeping intimidation that disturbed the balance of authority right there and then. He suddenly felt as though he was a guest, less inclined to feel a sense of ownership in the lab. It was Snape's lab, not even Hogwart's. It was his jungle; he was the lion and everything had to be in it's right place. Oh yes, Snape had impeccable organizational skills it was almost OCD. Bloody body language… it communicates a thousand words and can be psychoanalyzed a million ways. As he returned the equipment to it's shelves, keeping in mind to _read labels twice and ensure they are being properly returned to prevent sudden OCD attacks from very anal potions master, _behind him, Snape was quietly assessing their lesson, viewing the potion book Neville had been following, "Shrinking potion… a most elementary concoction…" he commented.

Lupin's jaw suddenly hardened at the patronizing tone of his remark. What was he saying? Was he insinuating something about his teaching methods?

"Indeed," he finally managed. "I felt it was necessary to have him thoroughly redo last year's syllabus. It seemed he barely touched on it."

"-for he daily occupied the hospital wing," Snape replied apathetically. "You're concept of time along with your over-estimation of Longbottom's abilities and I say that in all honesty, is terribly inaccurate. I doubt he will cover last year and this year's syllabus in a matter of months before his OWLs." Lupin threw him a defiant stare. He had belittled Neville but more so, hurt him and his pride. Snape motioned a what?-I'm-just-being-realistic-shrug and this only angered Lupin who was struggling to keep his calm composure. He knew Neville might not be the smartest student, but he also knew, thanks to Pomona, of his exceptionally talented hands in Herbology. He knew, from the first lesson he tutored him, that he was a determined student and a lot more intelligent than he looked.

"Or perhaps you under-estimate his full potential," Lupin said boldly. "He'll be ready."

Snape contemplated smugly with an annoying pout then said, "I hope you're right."

* * *

Despite additional jumpers under his coat, it was safe to say that Lupin was freezing his balls off. His teeth chattered as he descended the narrow staircase that lead to the dungeons… the damned dungeons where the insufferable man existed.

He missed Hogwarts a great deal since his absence, but what he could do without were the late night patrols. It was tedious… lumbering around, nosing into people's inappropriate businesses, telling them to 'bugger off please' in the politest manner possible.

He had been thinking… he was still a tad pissed off at the one and only Severus Snape, who in return hated him so. And he tried being civil. Well..._Fuck trying, _he thought. _'No, no, no...' _said the angel on his right shoulder_, 'you're better than that Remus._' Oh my, he was becoming restless...

The conversation that took place a couple of days ago troubled him still… as he deduced points from rebellious students past curfew. Snape did not think highly of him as a teacher… he mocked his teaching methods last year for Defence Against the Dark Arts and now he was implying that he, Remus Lupin, was going to fail Neville! The selfish man didn't want him to succeed! Oh but he was going to show him... Lupin was going to tutor Neville, and Neville would get Outstanding and Snape could suck it... _My reasons for being here is all his fault, and i'm staying whether he likes it or not... he only has himself to blame. _All these thoughts were too much for his head now… he could barely open his eyes.

When he reached his rooms he finally collapsed onto his bed, only to spring back up again after a loud muffled noise erupted from underneath him that went something like this: "Arghhghgphh!"

Lupin rolled off the unusually hard and lumpy bed, bottom hitting the floor with a thud as horror, eye-bulging horror, slowly drew on his face. Snape was naked. Well his top half was naked… but this man was Snape, hence that is as pretty much naked as it gets. Holy… it was almost blinding… like being in a dark room and suddenly having some idiot turn the light on.

"What on earth are you doing?!" Snape bellowed, sitting upright in his bed, detaching his eyelids from waxy sleep.

"I thought this was my room…" he replied quickly, fully wide awake and breathing now.

"Obviously... it is not," Snape grounded out, cheeks flushing madly. "I now have to disinfect my bed with anti-flea and cleaning spells... well done."

Lupin sighed and removed himself from the floor.

"Has anyone ever told you… for a man your age, you whine like a little girl?" Lupin said and considering Snape's expression of absolute disbelief, it was most unexpected. "Drop it Severus… I'm awfully tired. I'll just go, and we'll pretend this never happened."

"That sounds as if something did just happen," he remarked curtly.

"Don't flatter yourself," Lupin retorted.

"Your attention to my nipples will suffice… now if you don't mind, I would like to sleep now. I have experienced enough violation for the night."

Snape dropped dead, flopping down his bed in irate and retreated under his blankets. Lupin stood there simply scandalized. He did not! Did he?

"You were," Snape muffled in his pillow as if he mentally heard the other man's musings.

Lupin, extremely embarrassed, bid him goodnight in the stiffest tone and marched to his own bedroom, cursing late night patrols and those damn hormonal teenagers.

As for Snape, he couldn't sleep... Severus Snape does not whine... especially not like a little girl!

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**Chiroptophobia - fear of bats :) **


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